Rally may be in the works
Leader photo by CALEB DANIEL A handful of demonstrators took to the area outside the Lincoln Parish Courthouse Tuesday to express support for the family suing Cedar Creek School over alleged bullying and sexual battery. Pictured left to right are Abby Martin, Aryan Simmons and Megan Coleman.
A seemingly large-scale online attempt to organize a demonstration in support of the plaintiff Tuesday morning yielded only a handful of participants when the day came, though those who did appear said another, more planned-out attempt to rally would be coming later in the week.
Two local residents decorated their cars with slogans like “Justice 4 Paul” in the Lowe’s parking lot before joining a few others to hold signs with similar phrases downtown on a sidewalk next to the Lincoln Parish Courthouse, where the lawsuit was filed.
“Paul” is the fictitious name the lawsuit uses for the Conroys’ son.
“It’s hard to say as a teenager that someone did this to you,” said Courtney Brown, a Ruston resident and mother. “So him coming out and saying ‘Hey, this happened to me,’ and being told, ‘No, you’re lying about it,’ it’s a big deal.”
The RPD and parish sheriff ’s office have increased their security presence at Cedar Creek and the surrounding areas this week.
“A lot of people got scared when the term ‘arrested’ was going around,” said Megan Coleman, one of the people attempting to organize a demonstration.
Coleman said she and another resident are hoping to acquire a permit to hold an event at Railroad Park later this week.
